The Next Web

Microsofts marketing strategy: there is no such thing as bad publicity

I wonder what the guys ‘n girls are thinking at Microsoft HQ. Meet Herman and Sheila, two fictional Microsoft employees at the marketing department.

Herman: Hey Sheila, we need to do something. How do we get as much attention as Apple does?
Sheila: You’re right, we need to do something. We have to come up with a strategy that moves people, we need to bring Microsoft back to the people.
Herman: So true Sheila, HIGH FIVE!
Sheila: Ok ok lets come up with a cool marketing campaign…
Herman: Well you know that we can’t come up with a cool marketing campaign, we’re not creative enough to do so. But what about making a series of marketing campaigns which are lame and truly suck, that should be something people talk about and will write about.
Sheila: Well that is not such a bad idea, not a bad idea at all in fact. There is no such thing as bad publicity! Lets go for it!

Well, they sure did it with this new add for music making software Microsoft Songsmith.

I love the quote of dad: “Its a Microsoft product right, so its pretty easy to use”

[poll id="23"]

Patrick de Laive Internet entrepreneur
Patrick de Laive is co-founder of Twittercounter, Paydro and initiator of The Next Web Conference, Bowlr and OpenCoffee Amsterdam. Check his LinkedIn profile and twitter for more information.

  • Christian Owens
    Is there a reason she's on a MacBook Pro... ?
  • mm.. informative ))
  • hmm... really like it.
  • david
    It isn't a real commercial. The product comes from Microsoft Research. The two researchers who worked on it are the main "actors" in the video. Maybe they wrote it themselves as it doesn't look like something marketing would product.
  • Lame
  • LeipeLeon
    OMG! Thought it was a spoof but it is actually true!

    I'm so glad I'm a Mac FanBoy :P
  • Actually, that "Microsoft is easy" comment was by Bono Jr.

    Paul Isakson (http://paulisakson.typepad.com/planning/2009/01...) wrote a post about how some ads just exist to generate any conversation at all. Talking about how weak this ad is keeps the conversation alive long enough for someone who is just desperate enough to try the app.

    Funny stuff.
  • Thats a Mac Book Pro in the video... or not?
  • andreas
    It is a macbook. If you take a close look at the stickers, you'll see a small part of the apple logo shining through.
  • Nachdem ich das Video ( http://bit.ly/A7Xj ) gesehen habe, dachte ich das wäre nen Witz.. aber nein.. http://bit.ly/xHxo ..ich bin sprachlos
  • Zaf
    "Oh man, it sucks bigtime (57%, 29 Votes)"
    The reason this got so many votes is cause they think Microsoft sucks.
    I think the MS ads are a step into the right direction :)
  • Microsoft are in an intresting position where their products will alwys be under attack, not sure how advertising works for them, all they need to do is to create awareness and the brand probably does the rest

    Ian
  • Chung
    This is toooo cheezy! It looks like a frickin' informercial!
  • Interesting that the Daughter's laptop look strikinlgy like my old Mac PowerBook.
  • Great piece of software :D One happy family...
  • Another interesting spin on product marketing by Microsoft. hmm... http://tinyurl.com/a3wyxq
  • Another interesting spin on product marketing by Microsoft. http://tinyurl.com/a3wyxq
  • I agree that bad publicity is good publicity but you have to twist it that way left alone it is still bad http://tinyurl.com/a3wyxq
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